The Witch At The Beach
by Serpico1986
Summary: The Quimbys goes on a vacation at the beach, but what seems a nice time between father and daughters soon turn into a mess around, when Ramona and her new friend decided to explore what seems a witch house.
1. Chapter 1

H **ello, I'm here by today to present you my new story on Ramona series and i hope you like it.**

 **The story bellow, happens in Tallahassee and have its scenes during vacation.**

 **One last thing, its that in this story, Beezus is 12 year old, Ramona is 8 and Roberta is 1.**

 **Other then that, the story remains the same.**

 **Have a good reading time.**

 **Dr. Serpico**

* * *

 **The McArthur family (Stanley, Christina and Alex) belongs to my college and friend DSCWin**

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 **CHAPTER 1**

Two weeks before vacation, Robert decided to take his girls in a trip, so they could be out of normalcy a bit. Besides, Dorothy had passed just a year before and the father thought taking his daughters into a trip, would be a good thing to make them forgetting their rash reality a bit.

This way, at the breakfast that morning, he speared the beans to the girls and after a few discussions, they ended up agreeing to go to the beach, after all, it has been two years since Beezus and Ramona hadn´t go to a beach and it will be the first time Roberta would ever go to a beach.

_/_

The travel day arrived quickly to the girls delight. Robert woke up earlier to make them a good breakfast and after cleaning the house and while he prepared Roberta for the travel, the two older sisters, prepared their lunch, like their mother used to prepared, everything was perfect, they even helped Robert loaded the car, however, when they were about to get in the vehicle, they started to fight.

''Daddy, can I go at the front seat?'' 8-year Ramona asked

''you´re still too small to get in the front seat'' Beezus complained

''be quiet Beezus!'' the youngest sister

''Girls!'' Robert raised his voice ''both of you need to go at the back seat, you two needed to help me take care of your sister, so to the back seat you two go. Besides, Beatrice, you´re also too young to go in the front seat'' he said and the two girls obey.

_/_

Traveling by car from Portland till Tallahassee want short and they had to stop a few times to lunch, change Roberta´s diapers and to sleep, still, the managed to get along pretty well, playing games, singing and talking to each other. It was fun and Robert was more then proud of his girls.

_/_

They arrived at Tallahassee before midday the next day. The start of the week, Robert had rented an Airbnb condominium of modest houses, near the beach, so they could walk to the sea every day if they wanted.

Once approaching, the owner of the house, a beardedirishman named Stanley McArthur came to greet them with a smile.

''goods afternoon Family'' he greeted ''you must be Mr. Quimby, right?''

''call me Robert, we talk over the phone earlier. Nice to meet you Mr. McArthur. And these three girls are my daughters.'' He said, but just Beezus said a polite hi

''hello everyone, well come to Tallahassee. You guys can call me Stan'' Mr. McArthur smiled and showed the house inside for everyone ''I hope you enjoy the stay. And if you need me, I live in that house on the corner with my wife and my son.'' Stan informed

''thank you very much Stan, it was great to make business with you'' Robert said and the other guy left.

_/_

Once alone, the girls helped their father with the bags and started to explore the house. It was a quite comfortable house, nice decorate, with a big kitchen and two bedrooms, which annoyed Ramona, who doesn't want to share a room with her sister.

''Ramona, you always shared a room with your sister'' Robert was placing Roberta´s portable crib in his room ''why not now?''

''because… vacation?'' she said and the father couldn´t help but laugh

''come on Pickle, think about all the good stuff we can do tomorrow. I´m sure you will not even going to realize you are sharing a room with Beezus'' he said and Ramona snuggled annoyed

''but Daddy…''

''Ramona could you come here and help me please?'' Beezus yelled from the kitchen and Ramona march her way to there.

_/_

Next day by the morning, the whole family woke up earlier to enjoy the day. Indeed Robert was right, Ramona was so tired the other night that she managed to sleep faster than normal and never had time to complain about the sharing room.

After breakfast and cleaning, the Quimbys left to the beach and for a second, Beezus felt herself a bit sad, since the last time she was on a beach, was with her mother; she looked at Ramona, in doubt if she also remembered the last time they had gone to the beach, but she thought the girl was too excited to remember anything.

''here we are girls!'' Robert announced as they set feat on the send. "Lets have fun!" He said and Ramona rushed to play.

_/_

They had indeed a great time, Robert took Roberta to play at the ocean and she loved playing in the water and Beezus told her dad she was going to be a nice swimmer someday.

"I also believe it princess" the man smiled as they made their way back to the sand.

Just after lunch, Robert decided to read a bit under the sun tent while Beezus play with Roberta and Ramona was pretending to be an explorer, digging a big hole in the send.

Suddenly, a boy more or less Ramona's age, approach her.

"Hello!" He said

" Hi" said the middle Quimby sister

"hi. My name is Alex, can i play play with you?"

" Sure, i'm pretending to be an explorer, i want to dig the deeper i can, so i will go to see China over here. "

"Yeah, i bet!" Beezus teased her sister and in response, Ramona showed her tong

"Awesome!" Alex exclaim without paying attention at the sisters interaction "can i help you?"

"It will be great, come on, you can use this" the girl said, sending him a beach utensil.

_/_

That night, it was Ramona turn to change Roberta's diapers, but this time, she didn't complain, as she was delighted with the thought of having a new friend to play with her in her vacation.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

After the beach afternoon next day, Ramona goes to explore the neighborhood. Just after lunch, Alex go visit the Quimbys and since Stanley kept a few bikes at the house, they decided to go for a ride.

/

Just a few blocks from the McArthur's house, there was a big house, it was the biggest house on the block, but, since it seemed to be abandoned for ages, the kids around the block, said it was a witch's house.

"But do someone really live there?" Asked Ramona, curiosity sparking in her eyes

"Yep" Alex nodded "well, actually i never saw the witch, but my mom say there's an old woman living there, Mrs. Peas, i think."

" EW! " Ramona made a disgusted face

"Let's explore the house?" Alex suggested "only from the outside?"

"Awesome." Agreed the girl as they approach the decrepit building,

Cautiously and quietly, the two children approached the house and entered the garden, through the hole in the fence. Indeed, the garden in question, was not a garden itself but a heap of tall grass mixed with smelly garbage.

''you think she´s at home?'' Ramona asked

''who? Mrs. Peas? She never leaves the house… at least is what my mom say'' explain Alex and they keep walking around, finding every kind of garbage and useless, broken things at the yard.

However, when they approach the garage, they heard a screech voice coming out of nowhere.

''who´s here?'' it was Mrs. Peas voice ''Children? Yummy, I will eat them with peas source'' she laugh and with a scream, Ramona and Alex rush out the place, as faster they could.

_/_

Back at the house, while Beezus was watching some TV and Roberta was having her nap time, Robert was in the kitchen making dinner, when suddenly, the doorbell ring. It was Christina, carrying a basket full of breakfast things.

''good afternoon Quimbys, I'm Christina, Stan´s wife, I came to bring you guys some breakfast for tomorrow'' she said ''enjoying the house?''

''hey, thanks Mrs. McArthur. Yeah, we´re enjoying very much, thanks'' said Robert

''Great, great, I also brought a guide from the city, maybe you want to get to know Tallahassee better and we have several nice things to do here. ''

'' Thanks again, I'll talk to my girls, I'm sure they'll love it'' Robert said ''my youngest… I mean, middle daughter, is driving one the bikes around here with your son I think''

''yeah, Alex told me'' Christina said ''huh…sorry for ask…'' she was going to say something, when she heard someone calling her.

''Mommy!''

''Daddy!''

Two terrified children pedaled their bikes as fast as possible through the streets until they reached the entrance to the house. Both adults, jumped in surprise, even Beezus appear from inside the house, scared, wanting to know what happening, just to find her sister and her new friend gasping for air.

''Ramona, what´s it?'' Robert asked worried

''Mommy, we saw the witch!'' exclaimed Alex with a horror expression

''witch? What witch?'' she asked, suddenly realizing something ''Alexander McArthur, how many times I have to tell you, don´t approach Mrs. Peas House'' Christina said angry

''who´s Mrs. Peas?'' asked Robert confused ''Beatrice, get your sister inside'' ordered the man

'' there´s a lady, who lives in seclusion a few blocks from here, she´s like Miss Havisham from that book, her house looks like a garbage dump and so the neighborhood kids are calling her a witch. Her name isn't even Mrs. Peas… I think it´s Sullivan, or something…'' she said and turning to her son, she complete '' and I told you to stop calling her that''

''Sorry mom. And sorry if I scare you Mr. Quimby'' Alex apologized

''no need to apologize. And call me Bob'' he said ''hey what about you go for a ride with us tomorrow? I´s sure my girls will like the company''

''Mr. Qumby, no need to do this, it´s a lot of kids for you to look after'' Christina blushed

''no problem, it will be fun'' said Bob and after the adults talk a little more about house security, before they left.

_/_

Dinner time went quietly, Ramona was still scaried after her encounter with the supposed witch, but after Robert suggested tour around town next morning, she quickly forget the scary part of the day and agreed with the tour.

Later that night then, when the house was quiet and dark, Beezus was almost sleeping, when she felt someone shaking her shoulder, it was Ramona

''Beezus… Beezus'' she called

''what?'' said the sleepy annoyed sister

''let´s go sleep in Daddy´s room? Both of us?''

''Ramona, I'm tired, let me sleep and go sleep too''

''but the witch… Daddy can protect us''

''there´s no witch Ramona, you heard Mrs. McArthur''

''pleas Beezus''

''just go to sleep'' Beezus snapped angry. Upset then, the little girl took her pillow and left the room.

Next day by the morning, when Robert woke up, he found his little girl sleeping curled next to him.

Since the Quimby Family had planned to spend almost all July on the beach, the father then suggested they should spend the mornings on the beach and after lunch, they could go walk around.

It was cool indeed, most of the day, the McArthur´s join them at the beach, where Robert spend hours talking with Stan about men´s things and the girls could have a bit of feminine talk with Christina, like clothes, makeup of something alike.

''this is the best vacation ever Daddy!'' Ramona exclaimed one evening, as they made way toward the rented home

''thanks pickle, I just want the best to my girls'' he said

''Ramona remember when we got to the beach last time with Mommy?'' Beezus asked

''I remember.'' Robert said nostalgic '' Ramona you were crying all the time during the tour, why did not we buy the ice cream that you wanted'' he laugh

''I didn´t'' the little girl pouted

''of course you had, you was such a crying baby'' Beezus laugh, trying to keep Roberta still in a sitting position on her lap

''she isn´t a crying baby'' Robert protest ''I got an idea, what about tomorrow, we invite Alex, or Amanda, to go with us having an ice cream'' he asked and both girls agreed, enjoying the idea.

_/_

During the following week, with the whole fun the family was having, the Witch Subject seemed to be forgotten and not even Alex mentioned that anymore.

What dey didn´t not know however, was that a lot more trouble was coming ahead


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3  
**

When the Quimbys arrived at the rented house, Mr. McArthur showed them the place, but give them a warning, when they passed through the food storage in the yard.

''Bob, be careful, when you enter the storage, the door is having some trouble and it don´t opened from inside. I called the carpenter a few days ago, but the rascal did not answer.'' Stan said ''when entered, be careful to not slam the door, always keep something by holding the door ... or carry your cell phone with you'' he advised.

This way, while they were in the house, Robert forbidden Ramona to approach the storage, just him and Beezus could get food in there, but after the older girl get locked inside once, he forbidden her to go there as well.

_/_

By the third week the family were enjoying Tallahassee, the weather changed and a sunny day, suddenly became cloudy and just after lunch, a heavy rain began to fall, spoiling all their plans.

Trying to make sure that rain doesn't spoil a day of vacation, Robert decided to bake a cake, so they could eat in front of the TV the whole afternoon.

''ladies, I will get some things at the storage to bake the cake, be right back. Beatrice, you are in charge.'' He said

''why she is always in charge?'' Ramona complained

'' because you almost ran over an old lady yesterday with your bike. If Alex were not with you, we could have problems with Mr. McArthur.''

''it was the witch Beezus!''

''Girls, don´t argue, please, I will be back in five minutes.'' He said and walked toward the back door.

_/_

Passing by the kitchen, Robert didn't notice a large ugly toad bouncing through an open window. Robert set his wallet and keys on the corner of the counter and headed for the store room to collect items to bake a cake for desert.

As he walked in he accidentally knocked the stopper with his foot allowing the door to slam shut causing two cans of peas to fall from the shelf above him knocking him out cold.

_/_

Meanwhile, back at the living room, Ramona was feeling alone, since Beezus had gone put Roberta for a nap. This way, she made her way toward the kitchen in order to help her dad bake the cake. However, when she approach the kitchen, she froze. At the counter, the big frog was staring at her, sitting on her father´s wallet.

''oh no!''

Her little heart beaten faster, as she remembered the day before, when she ran over Mrs. Peas, the witch pointed a finger at her, saying she was going to pay for what she did. This way, she just waited for Robert to be alone, too turn him into a frog.

Taking a deep breath then, Ramona took the frog in her hands and ran to find her sister, as she needed to tell Beezus what happened.

''BEEZUS, BEEZUS!'' she yelled

''Ramona, could you…. Ramona get this thing out of here!'' the pre-teen barked upon seen a frog on her sister hand

''it´s not a thing Beezus, it´s Daddy… the Witch turn Daddy into a frog!''

'' Ramona, stop inventing stories, put that frog out of here and go watch TV. I'm trying to get Roberta to sleep'' Beatrice yelled, getting back to their father´s room.

Upset then, the little girl take the frog and rushed to the only person she thought could help her.

_/_

At his room, Alex were playing with his toys, when heard someone knocking at his window, confused he raised his head, just to spot Ramona wearing a raining hat and carrying a frog on her hand

''Ramona, what you´re doing here in the rain?'' he asked ''and who's the frog?''

''Alex, I need your help, the witch turned my dad into a frog, we need to help him!''

''and how we will do that?'' he asked

''let's talk to her''

''let's go then, but let me get a bit of salt, maybe it stop her'' Alex suggested and a few minutes later, the two kids were riding their bikes toward the witch house, with the frog on a bag.

_/_

Back at the Airbnb, Beatrice started to get worried, she wasn´t hearing any noise from the kitchen and once she reached the living room, Ramona wasn't there either. She looking toward the window, it was pouring, so Ramona couldn´t be outside either.

Then, she froze, it was on a raining day that she had gone the worst experience of her life, finding her mother dead. Taking a deep breath and without the slightest courage to go to the kitchen, he picked up Roberta, rolled it up in a sheet and ran to the McArthur-s other house, to ask for help.

_/_

Meanwhile, Robert has come to his senses. In a hurry, he get up and punched the door, trying to open it, in vain. Worried, he cried for help, in hope that his girls could hearing him. When he noticed a small window at the top of the storage and decided to climb there and call for help again.

_/_

At their home, Stan and Christina were watching TV, when their heard someone knocking at their door. Confused, Stan go answered it, just to find Beezus standing there, with an umbrella and her sister in her arms

''Beatrice, what happened?'' the Irishman asked

''Mr. McArthur, I'm worry, my sister is missing and my Dad said he was going to bake a cake, but I didn´t hear him at the kitchen''

''it´s ok'' Christina approach her husband and the girl ''Beatrice, your sister said where she went?''

''no, I was putting Roberta to sleep when she appeared with a frog, saying that the witch turned our father into a frog. I told her to put the animal away and watch TV, but she gone missing''

Stanley and Christina exchanged looks, but tried to act calm in front of the girl.

''Beatrice, you could stay here with Christina for a few minutes, I will search for your father and sister. I will be right back'' Stanley said and without a word, he first looked at his son´s room, before rushed out the door.

_/_

At her home, Mrs. Peas was listen to a radio, when two kids appeared inside her house. Furios, she got up and walk toward the kids

''what are you doing here? How dare you broken into my house''

''you turned my dad into a toad!'' Ramona exclaimed, showing her the poor frog ''turn him back!''

'' Your daring girl, how dare you come in here with that nasty beast?'' she barked, slapping the girl´s hand and the poor frog, bounce away the fast as he could.

''hey, don´t hurt my fried, you witch!'' Alex exclaimed Alex, throwing the salt in the poor woman, who furious, pick up a cane to hit the children, when a hand hold her whist.

It was Stan, who spotting the bikes parked in front at the old house, jump the fence and rushed inside.

''who are you?'' she looked at Stan in confusion

''Mrs. Sullivan, drop this cane!'' he ordered, calling her by her real name

''these nasty kids broken into my house, they need to learn a lesson!''

''they have to explain it to me, Mrs. Sullivan, but if you hurt them, I will have to call the police'' he said angry and turning to both kids, he complete ''Alexander and Ramona, go to the car''

''but…'' Ramona tried to argue, but Stanley insisted her to go.

Without another word, he let go of Mrs. Sullivan´s wrist and followed the kids toward the car.

_/_

What seemed like an eternity, Robert stood still at the Storage room, looking toward the small window, and waiting for someone to appear, when suddenly, he spot a black Impala parked in front of the house.

Taking a deep breath, he yelled a HELP out loud, scaring the driver, who looked straight toward the window.

''what is it?'' asked the driver

''could you help me here? I got stuck inside the Food Storage.'' Robert said praying for the man not to be an evil man

''wait a minute'' the driver running toward the house and a minute later, Robert found himself free and facing his savior. However, something wasn´t right

''how you managed to get in here, where´s my girls?'' Robert asked and the driver seemed confused

''there wasn´t no one at the house and the front door was opened'' he said ''by the way, my name is Dean, I'm Christina´s brother, I had come visit her''

''wait, there´s no one in the living-room?''

''no''

''Fuck!'' Robert cursed under his breath, he use that word, only when he was real worried ''we better go to your sister home.'' He said asking Mr. Dean to follow him.

_/_

Back at Stan´s car, Ramona started to cry nonstop and asked the man if he and his wife, could adopt her and her sisters.

''we lost Mommy and Daddy, you adopt us, Mr. McArthur?'' she sobbed ''the witch turn our Daddy into a frog'' she said and in response, the man rolled his eyes

''kids, for the last time, Mrs. Sullivan isn´t a witch, witches doesn´t exist. And you two got in trouble you know'' he said and they nodded ''now let 'go back home and I will call the Sheriff, to know where Bob gone'' he said, driving back home.

_/_

At McArthur´s home, Beatrice was telling Christina about the story with her mother, when the doorbell rang. Hoping to be her husband, the woman rushed to answer the door, just to came face to face with her brother, followed by Robert.

''Dean… Mr. Quimby where are you been?''

''hey sis!'' Dean smiled

''Daddy!'' upon hearing her dad´s voice, Beezus ran toward him and hug him tight, then step back and asked million questions, of where he was, what happened and if he was ok.

''i´m fine princess. Long story short, It was my turn to get locked at the Storage room'' Robert said ''where´s your sister?''

''Roberta is napping, Ramona isn´t with you?'' Beezus got worried, but before the father could say something, Stan´s car parked outside the house and the little girl rushed to her father's arms, crying.

''Daddy, you´re here, I thought the witch had turn you into a frog'' she cried

''what?'' Robert got confused

''you went missing and when I found a frog sitting on your wallet, I thought the Witch… I mean, Mrs. Pears turn you into a frog''

''you didn´t know your father was inside the food storage?'' Mr. Dean asked and in response, Ramona said no.

''it was my fault, I got knocked out by two cans of peas'' Robert explain ''but I'm okay, don´t worry.'' He said when the two girls look at him worried.

'''we´re so very sorry for all this mess, Bob, tomorrow for sure I will call another carpenter'' Stan said ashamed ''I can´t rent a house like this anymore''

''don't worry Stan, it´s happens'' Robert said ''now, let´s go back home? Finish that cake and wait for the rain gone? Alex, you want to go as well?''

''can I go Mom?'' the boy asked hopefully

''today, I don´t think so, let´s your friends rest for the day and tomorrow you can play with them, besides, Uncle Dean came to visit you'' Christina said as the Quimbys go back to the other house.

_/_

That night, all the family sleep in the same room, living room to be exactly. After they got back home, everyone took shower and Robert give Ramona a lecture about never break into someone´s house, have dinner and baked the cake together.

When it was bed time them, Robert suggested to put all the mattresses on the living-room and all sleeping together and hoping that the next day, the sun would appear again.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4  
**

Next day the sun appear again, shiner then two days ago, despite of the meteorology saying it would be raining the rest of the week. And of course, the Quimby sisters get more than happy to go to the beach again.

On the other hand, Robert decided to fix that door himself, despite of Stanley saying that it won´t be necessary, since it wasn´t his responsibility to do so.

''nonsense Stanley, it´s the least I could do for you and your wife, since both of you took care of my girls yesterday''

''alright, alright'' said Stanley ''but at least let me help you, me and my brother in law will help you fix it'' the Irishman said ''Christina say he need to start working for real and stop telling Alex these nonsense about supernatural been. You believe he was the one who put in the kid´s head that Mrs. Sullivan was a witch?''

''I imagine if we put him and my brother August to talk, they will fill the White House with bulshits'' Bob said and both men laugh.

This way, that morning, while Christina take Alex and the three girls to the beach, the three men, join to fix the door. And it worked wonderfully.

_/_

Meanwhile, Stan and a bunch of other neighbors had an idea. After making all children, including Ramona apologize to Mrs. Sullivan for calling her a witch, they decided to pay someone to come pick her up to take her to an old folks house, which was her best option to her. After that, they decided to build down her house and turn it into a playground for the kids.

_/_

Days has going and coming and every day was a new adventure and lots of fun to the Quimby Family, as they explore the town from up to down.

Just a few days before the vacations ended and they got back to Portland, Robert decided that they should have a picnic on the beach, which they loved.

'' my bowling ball with legs, liked to come to the beach for the first time?'' he played with Roberta

''I think she loved Daddy'' Beezus laughed, trying to prevent her sister to eat sand

''I know she did. And about you two?''

''well… taking the witch part…'' Ramona started and in response, Robert rolled his eyes ''it was fun Daddy, terrifical''

''glad to hear it pickle. And you Beatrice, you seems a bit upset, what's the matter?''

''she misses Henry!'' Ramona teased and Robert looked confused

''Henry? Henry Huggins? You miss him?''

''no Daddy! And you stop it Ramona!'' the teen said embarrassed ''I just got worried when you went missing that day… I knew you hadn´t been turned to a frog, but, I thought something bad had happened to you''

''well, part of it was my fault, since I should ask one of you for hold the door for me. But that´s nothing to worry about and I'm happy that we could enjoy our vacation still.'' Robert said

''Daddy, look at this!'' Ramona reached for her bag and took from there a bunch of sea shells'' when we get back home, can we take these to Mommy?''

''wow!'' the man exclaimed ''you got this all by yourself?''

''not all of it, Alex and Beezus helped me… that day, while you fixed the door at Mr. McArthur´s house''

''it´s terrifical!'' Robert nodded ''I think Mommy will be very happy if you give it to her. Thank you my lovelies'' he said, as the girls started to show him all the shells they had collected.

_/_

One week later, the family prepared to go home. With everything settled and a lot of stories to tell, the Quimby Family said Good bye to their new friend and got back home, as Ramona couldn´t wait to tell her friends, how she defeated the evil witch Peas, even if it was just in her imagination.

 **THE END**


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